The Tren a las Nubes, or Train to the Clouds, is a spectacular rail journey from the northwestern Argentine city of Salta to Chile across the Andes mountains. Built between 1920 and 1948 it originally served the borax mines in the area but is now a tourist heritage railway, having been reopened in 2008 after several years of renovation. Leaving Salta the train makes numerous switchbacks and spirals as it ascends the Quebrada del Toro before reaching the Altiplano at 4,220 metres, making it the third highest railway in the world. The line has 29 bridges, 21 tunnels and 13 viaducts, the most impressive of which is the La Polvorilla, a curved viaduct which is 224 metres long and rises 70 metres above a broad desert canyon, an incredible engineering achievement. The train runs between April and November, taking 15 hours to do the 434km round trip.
Location:
Argentina
Travel to Tren a las Nubes
Organised group tours: Click here to see 3 tours to Argentina which may include Tren a las Nubes.
